Hundreds of jobs have been secured at one of the county's largest private employers.

Legal & General, which has operated in Hove for 20 years, yesterday ended months of uncertainty by confirming it will stay in the city until at least 2025.

The financial services company considered relocating to another site in Sussex and its decision to stay safeguards 1,600 call centre jobs.

Tony Mernagh, executive director of Brighton and Hove Economic Partnership, said the agreement was excellent news for the city but added that there was still a shortage of office space.

Next year Legal & General will begin to transfer staff from its offices in Montefiore House and Preece House to City Park, a new 200,000 sq ft residential and office development on the site of the former Alliance & Leicester building off Orchard Road, Hove.

He said: "City Park could have been let three times over and it is now vitally important that we move to develop some of our other prime sites for jobs and homes because we have businesses waiting in the wings to either expand here or relocate here and we have to accommodate them as a matter of urgency."

City Park, owned and developed by Mountgrange Capital, will comprise three office buildings, one of which has been completed. The other two buildings will be finished in spring next year.

The offices will include systems to collect rainwater for bathrooms and watering plants, solar shading and energy-efficient heating.

Legal & General director Mark Gregory said: "I am delighted that we have secured the City Park site which is close to our existing buildings.

"We have had a presence in Hove for 20 years and are pleased to be able to show our commitment to the community through the acquisition of City Park on a long-term lease.

"Brighton and Hove is a thriving community and business centre and we have been particularly impressed with the quality of staff recruited locally."

Legal & General also has offices in Birmingham, Cardiff, London and Kingswood. The Hove site is a customer services centre with employees handling new business, customer inquiries and policy administration.

Council leader Ken Bodfish said: "This is great news for the city and fully demonstrates Brighton and Hove is a first rate business location."

Thursday, August 18, 2005